Near Infrared Energy Absorbing Textile

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to production of textile with high rate of evaporation of moisture content. In this invention, a textile substrate is coated with Near Infrared (NIR) energy absorbing agent to increase the surface temperature of substrate and enhance the evaporation of moisture from the textile substrate.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of textile industry ingeneral, specifically to textile finishes and moisture management. Inthe present invention, the textile substrate is treated with acomposition comprising near infrared energy absorbing agent thatprovides faster drying of moisture content from the treated textile,leading to quick drying textile material. The present invention relatesto the quick drying textile material, a method to obtain the textilematerial and use of a composition comprising near infrared energyabsorbing agent to obtain the textile material.

BACKGROUND

Moisture management generally refers to the ability of the textilematerial to absorb gaseous or liquid moisture from body, to transport itto the outer surface and to evaporate the moisture content. Thisproperty is a complex combination of a number of different human,material and environmental aspects. Given the same conditions, rate andintensity of the perspiration differs from person to person. Theintensity of the perspiration is also different in different areas ofthe body. The fabric structure, surface chemistry of the fibers, fibercross section, fiber morphology and surface area of the fibers are knownfactors that affect moisture management properties.

A number of attempts have been made to enhance the moisture managementproperty of textiles, by changing the above mentioned parameters. Almostall of these strategies are focused on enhancing the moisture transferproperty of the fabric. The commonly used techniques to enhance themoisture transfer property include, the use of micro fibres in packedgeometries, engineering the cross section of the fibres to increase thecapillaries, use of material blends comprising non-absorbent andabsorbent fibres in bi-component knits, multi-layered fabric structuresincluding laminates and various absorbent polymeric structures and useof textile finishing agents to improve moisture management propertiessuch as wicking, etc. However, all these techniques are limited to thetransfer of moisture from skin touching fabric surface to outer fabricsurface.

There has not been any research work or a product that has enhancedmoisture management property by improving the rate of evaporation ofmoisture from fabric through increasing the surface temperature of theouter fabric surface to enhance the rate of moisture evaporation

Accordingly, there is a need to develop textiles with improved moisturemanagement properties and the present invention overcomes the drawbacksof the methods of the prior art by providing textiles that depictenhanced moisture management property by improving the rate ofevaporation of moisture, through increasing the surface temperature ofthe outer fabric surface.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention relates to a quick dry textilematerial comprising—a) textile substrate, and b) composition comprisingnear infrared (NIR) energy absorbing agent; a method for obtaining quickdry textile material comprising textile substrate and compositioncomprising near infrared (NIR) energy absorbing agent, said methodcomprising acts of—a) treating the textile substrate with thecomposition, and b) processing the treated textile substrate to obtainthe quick dry textile material; and use of a composition comprising nearinfrared absorbing agent for obtaining a quick dry textile material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention may be considered to consist in the foregoing andexamples of which have been described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts Scanning Electron Microscope image of fibers in thetreated fabric of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a quick dry textile materialcomprising:

-   -   a) textile substrate; and    -   b) composition comprising near infrared (NIR) energy absorbing        agent.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition is present onat least one surface of the textile material.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the composition furthercomprises component selected from the group comprising binder, pigmentand finishing agent or any combinations thereof.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the binder isselected from the group comprising acrylic binder, polyurethane binder,vinyl polymer binder, vinyl copolymer binder, natural rubber binder,neoprene rubber binder, epoxy binder, amino resin binder, siliconebinder and biopolymer binder, or any combinations thereof.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, the near infrared(NIR) energy absorbing agent is selected from the group comprisingmetal, oxide, doped oxide, carbon compound, organic compound and polymeror any combinations thereof.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, the NIR energyabsorbing agent is present in amount ranging from about 0.1% to 10.0% byweight of the textile substrate; and wherein the NIR energy absorbingagent absorbs electromagnetic radiation ranging from about 700 nm to1500 nm.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, particle size ofthe NIR energy absorbing agent ranges from about 1 μm to 500 nm indiameter, preferably from about 10 nm to 100 nm in diameter, and morepreferably from about 20 nm to 70 nm in diameter.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, the textilesubstrate is selected from the group comprising Cotton, Polyester,Nylon, Polyester-elastomer blend, Nylon elastomer blend, Polyestercotton blend, Aramid Linen, Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Jute, Hemp,Wool, Rayon, Lyocell and Acetate fiber textile, or any combinationsthereof.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, weight of thetextile material ranges from about 100 to 250 gram per square meter,preferably about 130 gram per square meter.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, the textilesubstrate is pre-treated by process selected from the group comprisingscouring treatment, bleaching treatment, enzymatic treatment, softeningtreatment, treatment for improved wicking, anti-pilling treatment,anti-static treatment, anti-curling treatment, anti-bacterial treatment,treatment for improvement of wash fastness, treatment for improveddraping, raising, burning, quenching, curing, heat setting, polishing,embossing, pressing and creasing or any combinations thereof.

The present invention also relates to a method for obtaining quick drytextile material comprising textile substrate and composition comprisingnear infrared (NIR) energy absorbing agent, said method comprising actsof:

-   -   a) treating the textile substrate with the composition; and    -   b) processing the treated textile substrate to obtain the quick        dry textile material.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the treating of the textilesubstrate is by process selected from the group comprising coating,finishing, depositing, spraying, foam application, dyeing, wet padding,screen printing, screen transfer, sublimation, film transfer, rolltransfer, electrodeposition, wet exhaustion, chemical vapor depositionand physical vapor deposition, or any combinations thereof.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the processing comprisesact selected from the group comprising heating, washing and drying orany combinations thereof.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the near infrared(NIR) absorbing agent is selected from the group comprising metal,oxide, doped oxide, carbon compound, organic compound and polymer or anycombinations thereof.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, the NIR energyabsorbing agent is present in an amount of about 0.1% to 10.0% by weightof the textile substrate; wherein the NIR energy absorbing agent absorbselectromagnetic radiation ranging from about 700 nm to 1500 nm; andwherein particle size of the NIR energy absorbing agent ranges fromabout 1 μm to 500 nm in diameter.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, the textilesubstrate is selected from the group comprising Cotton, Polyester,Nylon, Polyester-elastomer blend, Nylon elastomer blend, Polyestercotton blend, Aramid Linen, Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Jute, Hemp,Wool, Rayon, Lyocell and Acetate fiber textile, or any combinationsthereof.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, the compositionfurther comprises component selected from the group comprising binder,pigment and finishing agent or any combinations thereof.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, weight of thetextile material ranges from about 100 to 250 gram per square meter.

The present invention also relates to use of a composition comprisingnear infrared absorbing agent for obtaining a quick dry textilematerial.

To overcome the non-limiting drawbacks as stated in the background, thepresent invention relates to treating of a textile material to enhancemoisture management in a textile.

The present invention also relates to the treated textile material or agarment made of the treated textile material. The treated textile/fabricand the finished garment exhibit quick drying of moisture.

In an embodiment, treating of the textile material enhances moistureremoval from its outer surface.

In non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, the outer surfaceof the textile is defined as the surface of the textile facing away fromthe body of the wearer when the textile is fabricated into a garment.

In the present invention, a textile material is treated with a nearinfrared (NIR) energy absorbing agent to enhance moisture removal fromthe textile. The agent is hereinafter referred to as “NIR energyabsorbing agent” or “NIR absorbing agent” or “NIR agent”.

In embodiments of the present invention, the treating of the textileresults in the distribution of NIR absorbing agent on the outer surfaceof the textile.

In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the near infrared(NIR) energy absorbing agent is a metal.

In embodiments of the present invention, the metal is selected from thegroup comprising silver, gold, platinum, palladium and nickel or anycombinations thereof.

In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the near infrared(NIR) energy absorbing agent is an oxide.

In embodiments of the present invention, the oxide is selected from thegroup comprising tungsten oxide, aluminium oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide,antimony oxide, bismuth oxide, cerium oxide and cobalt oxide or anycombinations thereof.

In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the near infrared(NIR) energy absorbing agent is a doped oxide.

In embodiments of the present invention, the doped oxide is selectedfrom the group comprising indium tin oxide, aluminium doped tin oxideand antimony doped tin oxide or any combinations thereof.

In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the near infrared(NIR) energy absorbing agent is a polymer.

In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the near infrared(NIR) energy absorbing agent is a carbon compound.

In embodiments of the present invention, the carbon compound is selectedfrom the group comprising carbon black, graphite, graphene, grapheneoxide, reduced graphene oxide, carbon nanotube and fullerene or anycombinations thereof

In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the near infrared(NIR) energy absorbing agent is an organic compound.

In embodiments of the present invention, the organic compound isselected from the group comprising cyanine derivative, squarainederivative, phthalocyanine derivative, porphyrin derivative, and borondipyrromethane derivative. Here, the organic compound acts as a dye orpigment, thus performing the function of imparting colour to thetextile, as well as absorbing near infrared energy.

In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the near infrared(NIR) energy absorbing agent is a polymer.

In embodiments of the present invention, the polymer is a film selectedfrom the group comprisingPoly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(4-styrenesulfonate), polyaniline,polypyrrole, polythiophene,Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-tetramethacrylate andpoly(diiododiacetylene) or any combinations thereof

In an embodiment of the present invention, the polymer is ananoparticle.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the polymer is a film.

In embodiments of the present invention, the near infrared (NIR) energyabsorbing agent is a combination of one or more of metal, oxide, dopedoxide, carbon compound, organic compound and polymer.

In embodiments, the textile is used to prepare a garment byconventionally known industrial methods and the garment exhibitsenhanced moisture absorption and removal property.

In embodiments of the present invention, a composition comprising nearinfrared (NIR) energy absorbing agent is used to treat the textilesubstrate.

In embodiments of the present invention, the composition consists ofnear infrared (NIR) energy absorbing agent.

In embodiments, the composition further comprises a binder.

In embodiments, the composition further comprises a dye or pigment forthe purpose of imparting a desired colour. The dye or pigment includesany compound known in the art to perform the function of a dye or apigment. This dye or pigment does not absorb near infrared energy andonly provides colour to the textile.

In embodiments, the composition further comprises a finishing agent. Thefinishing agent includes, but is not limited to wetting agent, fabricwicking enhancer, chemical fixer, hydrophilicity modifier and fabricsoftener. The role of each finishing agent is known in the art.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the finishing agent isselected from the group comprising Polydimethylsiloxane, organic fattyacid, fatty acid ester, fatty acid wax, Paraffin, polyethelyne compound,fatty acid functionalized organic polymer, Amphoteric fatty acidcompound, Amido, Amino Functional Silicone, Amido, Amino functionalizedorganic polymer, Methyl Hydrogen Silicone, Epoxy Functional Silicone,epoxy functionalized organic polymer, Hydroxy functional Silicone,hydroxy functionalized organic polymer, esterquat, Silicone Polyether,Organic polyether, Epoxy Polyether Silicone, organic epoxy polyether,sulfonated organic polymer, sol gel compound comprising metal and metalalkoxide or any combinations thereof.

In an embodiment, the composition further comprises water.

In an embodiment, the composition is also referred to as liquor andcomprises NIR energy absorbing agent, and optionally component selectedfrom the group comprising water, binder, finishing agent and pigment orany combinations thereof.

In an embodiment, liquor ratio defines the ratio between fabric andliquor in a dye bath.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition of thepresent invention comprises NIR energy absorbing agent and finishingagent.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition of thepresent invention consists of NIR energy absorbing agent and finishingagent.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition of thepresent invention comprises NIR energy absorbing agent and binder.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition of thepresent invention consists of NIR energy absorbing agent and binder.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition of thepresent invention comprises NIR energy absorbing agent and pigment.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition of thepresent invention consists of NIR energy absorbing agent and pigment.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition of thepresent invention comprises NIR energy absorbing agent and water.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition of thepresent invention consists of NIR energy absorbing agent and water.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition of thepresent invention comprises NIR energy absorbing agent, water, binder,finishing agent and pigment.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition of thepresent invention consists of NIR energy absorbing agent, water, binder,finishing agent and pigment.

The terms “textile” and “fabric” have the same meaning and are usedinterchangeably throughout the present specification.

In embodiments of the present invention, the textile before treatingwith the NIR energy absorbing agent is referred to as “textilesubstrate”.

In embodiments of the present invention, the textile after treating withthe NIR energy absorbing agent is referred to as “textile material” or“quick dry textile material”.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the textile material isprepared as a garment.

In non-limiting embodiments of the present invention, the textilesubstrate may already be in the form of a garment before being treatedwith the composition comprising NIR energy absorbing agent. The garment,treated with NIR absorbing agent, exhibits enhanced moisture managementproperties.

In embodiments of the present invention, the textile material, which hasalready been treated with the composition comprising NIR energyabsorbing agent, is fabricated into a garment. The textile material andthus the garment made of the material exhibits enhanced moisturemanagement properties.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the textile substrate, afterbeing treated with the NIR energy absorbing agent, is processed.

In an embodiment, the processing comprises act selected from the groupcomprising heating, washing and drying or any combinations thereof.

In an exemplary embodiment, the processing comprises acts of:

-   -   a) heating the treated textile substrate;    -   b) washing the heated textile substrate with water; and    -   c) drying the washed textile substrate.

In embodiments of the present invention, a quick dry textile material isdefined as a textile material that exhibits an improvement of 20% to120% in drying rate as compared to the drying rate of commerciallyavailable textile material or as compared to a textile material which isnot treated with NIR energy absorbing agent (control).

Evaporation of water from outer fabric surface to the environment is asimportant as the moisture transfer through the fabric from skin touchingfabric surface to outer fabric surface. This is because if the rate ofwater evaporation from outer fabric surface to environment is less thanthat of the rate of moisture generated by the body, the fabric willultimately saturate, losing its ability to manage moisture effectively.This is particularly prominent in high humid, low temperatureenvironments where the water evaporation is lowest.

Since the evaporation of water from a surface is mainly dependent onenvironmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and air flow andon surface conditions such as surface temperature and surface texture,most of the prior art techniques are fundamentally limited to transferof moisture across the textile substrate. The textile material andmethod of the present invention provide surprising advantages and betterresults over the prior art.

The present invention is targeted at increasing the drying rate of thetextile material when the material is exposed to near infrared lightemitting light source, as the textile material is treated with nearinfrared energy absorbing agent. The present invention achieves thisimproved drying rate by generating an additional heat, by converting thenear infrared light energy in to heat energy which drives theevaporation.

In embodiments of the present invention, the near infrared lightemitting source is the sun.

In embodiments of the present invention, the moisture content of atextile or garment is in the form of sweat or perspiration.

One of the objectives of the method of the present invention is toimpart heat on the surface of the textile/fabric, which is absorbed bythe moisture on the surface of the textile/fabric through evaporation.

In embodiments of the present invention, the net result of moistureremoval through enhanced evaporation (the function of the NIRabsorption) imparts a cooling effect to the wearer.

In another embodiment, nanoparticles composed of various materials suchas metals (Ag, Au, Pt, Cu, etc.) and semiconductors (Indium doped tinoxide, Aluminum doped zinc oxide, Tungsten oxides, etc.) efficientlyabsorb photon energy when exposed to light. This is due to oscillationof electrons (carriers in the nanoparticles) which convert the absorbedenergy by the light source into heat. The heat diffuses away from thenanoparticle and increases the temperature in the surrounding medium.Heating efficiency of these nanomaterials is particularly high when theplasmonic absorption occurs around near infrared (NIR) region (780-2500nm).

Certain organic molecules and particles also show strong opticalabsorption in Infrared frequency range. Absorption occuring at NIRregion is particularly important for the present invention as theradiation absorbed in this region is mostly converted to heat. The NIRabsorption is generated from fundamental bond vibrations by two distinctprocesses; overtones and combinations. Overtones are harmonics of thefundamental vibrations that occur in the NIR region. Combinations aremore complex and occur due to sharing of NIR energy between two or morefundamental vibrations.

The NIR energy absorbing agent in the present invention refers to amaterial that can absorb the electromagnetic radiation in near-infraredwavelength including 700 nm to 2200 nm, more preferably 700 nm to 1500nm.

The NIR energy absorbing material however, can absorb energy in theother regions of the electromagnetic radiation like visible andultraviolet. Nonetheless, to provide sufficient heating effect to thetextile/fabric to increase the rate of evaporation of moisture, theenergy absorption agent must show adequate absorption at the NIR regionof the electromagnetic radiation. This distinguishes the agent disclosedin the present invention from the other energy absorbing materials usedto treat textile materials. In particular, dyes are pigments employed infinishing textile materials to impart a desirable color to the material,which acts by absorbing electromagnetic radiation in the visible regionof the spectrum. These dyes and pigments show no or very less absorptionof NIR, rendering them ineffective in the application disclosed herein.

Thus, in order to sufficiently absorb NIR radiation/energy and heat upthe textile/fabric to induce evaporation of moisture, withoutsignificantly deteriorating the properties of the textile material, theenergy absorbing agent used in the present invention preferably exhibitsabsorption characteristics as described below. The energy absorbingmaterial has strong energy absorption characteristics in NIR region,more preferably in the range of 1000 nm. The energy absorbance materialmay exhibit some energy absorption at 400 to 700 nm, but absorptionintensity in the range of 1000 nm region should be higher than that ofthe absorption intensity at the 400 to 700 nm range.

In exemplary embodiments, the NIR energy absorbing material or agent isselected from, but is not in anyways limited to, Iridium Tin Oxide,Aluminum doped Tin Oxide, Antimony doped Tin Oxide, Tungsten oxide,Carbon black, Cyanine dye (CAS#:134127-48-3), Reduced graphene Oxide andCarbon nanotube.

However, the present invention also envisages the use of a compound thatis not known or established to be an NIR energy absorbing agent at thisstage, but may be recognized at a later stage to be an NIR energyabsorbing agent.

Preferably, the particle size of the NIR energy absorbing agent used inthe present invention is within the range of 1 μm to 500 nm in diameter,more preferably the particle size of NIR energy absorbing agent iswithin the range of 10 nm to 100 nm in diameter, most preferably theparticle size of NIR energy absorbing agent is within the range of 20 nmto 70 nm in diameter.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the NIR energy absorbingagent used is more efficient in NIR energy absorption when the agent ispresent in the nano dimension. However, an agent with bigger particlesize also performs as NIR absorbing agent, absorbs light and generatesheat to drive the same process.

In an embodiment of the present invention, when the NIR agent is presentas a nanoparticle, the moisture wicking, hand-feel and printability ofthe treated textile material is improved.

As noted above, the NIR energy absorption agent may have slightabsorption at visible and ultraviolet range along with significantabsorption at the NIR range. Due to the presence of slight visibleabsorption, the textile substrate treated with the agent of the presentinvention may appear slightly out of colour and tone compared to thetextile substrate that was not treated. In more preferred embodiment,this slight colour difference is remediated by adding one or moretextile dye or a pigment to the composition of the present invention.Therefore, in a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, thetreating composition comprises of NIR energy absorbing agent, a binderand one or more colour absorbing pigment. The type and role of thecolour absorbing pigment is known to a person skilled in the art.

In embodiments of the present invention, the NIR energy absorbing agentemployed should preferably not absorb, or only very weakly absorb, inthe visible region so that there is none or very minimal impact on thecolor appearance of the fabric or finished garment.

In embodiments of the present invention, if there is light scattering orresidual absorption or both with the NIR energy absorbing agent of thepresent invention, then the agent is combined with coloringagent/pigment to restore the original color palette of thetextile/fabric/garment.

In the present invention, the methods, preparation and use disclosedemploy, unless otherwise indicated, conventional techniques known in thefield of textiles, finishes, moisture management, energy, nanotechnologyand related fields. These techniques, their principles, and requirementsare explained in the literature and known to a person skilled in theart.

“Drying rate” is one of the parameters used to measure the dryingperformance of a textile or fabric and is determined in accordance withthe AATCC Test Method 201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics: Heated PlateMethod. Horizontal air flow over the surface of a fabric while on aheated plate set is used to determine the drying rate of a fabric. Thetest method is modified to include a light source which is calibrated tohave a light intensity of 1000 W/m2 measured at the surface of the hotplate. The test method determines the drying rate of the fabric, exposedto a prescribed volume of water while in contact with a heated plate setat 37° C., simulating the skin surface temperature at which the humanbody starts to perspire. The test method is applicable for a variety offiber types including knits, wovens and non-wovens.

Drying rate is the volume (ml) divided by the time taken for thecomplete evaporation of the specified volume of water according to theAATCC Test Method 201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics: Heated Plate Method.Drying rate is depicted in mL/hr.

The drying rate improvement is the percentage improvement of the dryingrate compared to the untreated fabric. It is expressed in terms of %.

In embodiments of the present invention, the textile material treatedwith NIR energy absorbing material exhibits an improvement in dryingrate ranging from about 20% to 120% when compared to an untreatedtextile material.

The test method determines the drying rate of the fabrics undersimulated light conditions. The textile material of the presentinvention exhibits a drying rate improvement of 20% or more as comparedto the untreated (control) fabric. More preferably, the textile materialof the invention exhibits a drying rate improvement of 50% or more.

Wet pickup is the increase in weight of the fabric due to absorption ofwet chemical in the treated fabric just after a chemical applicationprocess (such as printing) typically given as a percentage of initialweight of the fabric.

The textile material used in the present invention generally comprises atextile substrate made of yarns. The yarn may be formed from a pluralityof fibers that may form solely from a single material (e.g. polyester,nylon) or may comprise a blend of material (e.g. polyester elastomerblend, nylon elastomer blend, polyester cotton blend). The textile orfabric can also be formed by different types of yarns with single typeof fiber (e.g., polyester fiber and elastomer yarn).

In an embodiment, the preferred fabric type is polyester and polyesterelastomer blend. More preferably, the textile substrate is formed from asingle type of yarn.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the textile substrate comprisesabout 30% or more, about 35% or more, about 40% or more, about 45% ormore, about 50% or more, about 55% or more, about 70% or more, about 75%or more, about 80% or more, about 85% or more, about 90% or more, orabout 95% or more by weight of the polyester fiber based on the totalweight of the textile substrate. The polyester fiber present in such anembodiment may be of a blend of two or more different types of polyesterfibers (e.g. crimped polyester, cationically dyeable polyester)

The textile substrate can be of any desired construction irrespective ofthe specific arrangement of yarns in the material. Preferably, thefabric is a knitted fabric constructed by interlocking of the loops ofyarns. More preferably, the construction of the material is selectedfrom the group comprising 1×1 interlock, 1×1 rib, and single jersey. Theconstruction of the material described in the present invention is knownto a person skilled in the art.

The preferred weight of the material is 100 to 250 gram per squaremeter. More preferably, the weight of the material is 130 gram persquare meter. While not wishing to be bound to any particular theory, itappears that low thickness of the fabric contributes in part to fasterdrying of the fabric.

In a preferred embodiment, the fabric is provided in a knitted patternhaving a 1×1 interlock pattern having 130 gram per square weight.

The yarns in the textile substrate comprise fibers with both natural andman-made origin. For example, the yarns comprise natural fibers such asCotton, Linen, Jute, Hemp or Wool. The yarns may also comprise man-madefibers such as Polyester, Nylon, Rayon, Lyocell and Acetate. The fibersin the textile substrate may also comprise of special fiber types andfinishes described in, for example, U.S. Patent No. 20060148349 A1(Naor, Barak & Mois, 2006), European Patent No. EP 1831452 A1 (Naor,Barak & Mois, 2007), European Patent No. 1024879 B1 (Bause, Dondero,Jones, Rohrbach, Unger & Xue, 2003) or fabric constructors described inU.S. Pat. No. 5,315,717 A (Moretz & Brier, 1994) and U.S. Pat. No.7,361,803 B2 (Miskie, 2008).

The textile material may also be dyed with a desired dye and treatedwith an appropriate finishing agent to impart a functional or aestheticproperty.

In embodiments of the present invention, dyeing or finishing of thetextile material can be done after the textile material has been treatedwith NIR energy absorbing agent.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, dyeing or finishingof the textile material is done before the textile material has beentreated with NIR energy absorbing agent.

The treatment with finishing agent includes, but is not limited to,chemical treatments such as scouring, bleaching, enzymatic treatment,softening treatment, treatment for improved wicking, anti-pillingtreatment, anti-static treatment, anti-curling treatment, anti-bacterialtreatment, treatment for improvement of wash fastness, treatment toimprove draping and physical treatments such as raising, burning,quenching, curing, heat setting, polishing, embossing, pressing andcreasing. Such chemical and physical treatments may be carried out usingthe methods and techniques known to those who skilled in the art.

In embodiments of the present invention, the treatment with thefinishing agent is optional.

The textile substrate disclosed in the present invention may have asuitable weight per unit area. As indicated above, the composition isapplied to the textile substrate using different techniques and maycause change of the weight of the final fabric. However, the finish isapplied on to the substrate in relatively small quantities andtherefore, the weight of the treated fabric with the items disclosed inthe present invention and the weight of the untreated fabric will bepractically the same.

For example, the weight of the suitable textile substrate is discussedbelow. But it should be understood that the below can also be used tospecify the textile substrate that has been treated with the methodsdisclosed in this invention. Also, the specified values are not in anyway to limit the applicability of the present invention to unspecifiedweights. The textile substrate preferably has a weight of about 500 g/m2or less, more preferably 400 g/m2 or less, more preferably 300 g/m2 orless, more preferably 200 g/m2 or less, more preferably 160 g/m2 orless.

As indicated above, the material disclosed in the present inventioncomprises a composition applied to at least one side of the textilesubstrate. The composition includes an NIR energy absorbing agent. Inmore preferred embodiment, the composition comprises a binder with theNIR energy absorbing agent. The binder present in the composition makesthe NIR energy absorbing agent strongly adhere to the textile substrate.The binder present in the composition may also increase the durabilityof the composition towards laundering. The binder can be any of thebinders typically used in the treatment of textile materials.

Suitable binders include, but are not limited to, acrylic binder,polyurethane binder, vinyl polymer binder, vinyl copolymer binder,natural rubber binder, neoprene rubber binder, epoxy binder, amino resinbinder, silicone binder, biopolymer binder and combinations thereof. Thetype and amount of binder employed is within the knowledge of a personskilled in the art.

The NIR energy absorbing agent is applied to the textile substrate tohave any suitable amount for the desired water evaporation properties.In order to have practically visible heating to be observed, the NIRenergy absorbing agent is incorporated into the textile substrate tohave a percentage add on of 0.1% by weight of the textile substrate.More preferably, the NIR energy absorption agent is present in thetextile substrate in a percentage of 0.2% or more. Also, to avoid theNIR energy absorbing agent from affecting the physical and aestheticproperties of the textile substrate, the NIR absorbing agent is presentat about 10% or less, preferably at about 5% or less, more preferablyabout 4% or less, more preferably about 3% or less, more preferablyabout 2% or less, and most preferably about 1% or less by the weight ofthe textile substrate used for the treatment.

The proposed solution of the present invention is applied to the textilesubstrate by any suitable process. The application method is, and not inanyways limited to coating, finishing, deposition, spraying, foamapplication, dyeing, wet padding, screen printing, screen transfer,sublimation, film transfer, roll transfer, electrodeposition, wetexhaustion, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition andother suitable methods known to the art.

Where it is relevant, the NIR energy absorbing agent is applied to atextile material, with a finishing agent. The concentration of NIRenergy absorbing agent in the finishing agent is adjusted to obtain therequired level of NIR energy absorbing agent in the textile material ofthe present invention.

The textile substrate of the disclosed invention may be used to impartimproved water evaporation. The water is typically in the form of sweatgenerated when the wearer engages in some form of physical activity. Foran example, the textile substrate of the present invention is used tofabricate the whole garment or specific local components of the garmentto exhibit different degrees of water evaporation ability. The textilematerial is used to produce garment selected from the group comprising,but not limited to T-shirt, Shirt, Pant, Coat and Hood.

Additional embodiments and features of the present invention will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art based upon the descriptionprovided herein. The embodiments herein provide various features andadvantageous details thereof in the description. Descriptions ofwell-known/conventional methods and techniques are omitted so as to notunnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. Further, the inventionherein provides for examples illustrating the above describedembodiments, and in order to illustrate the embodiments of the presentinvention, certain aspects have been employed. The examples used hereinfor such illustration are intended merely to facilitate an understandingof ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to furtherenable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein.Accordingly, the following examples should not be construed as limitingthe scope of the embodiments herein.

EXAMPLES Example 1

Scoured and bleached cotton fabric samples having 5 g of weight are usedin the dyeing process. The fabric GSM (grams per square metre) is 170grams per square meter and the structure is single jersey. The fabricsamples are charged in to a sample dyeing container with 3000 ml ofwater having 1:15 material to liquor ratio (200 g of fabric) and Indiumtin oxide nanoparticles having diameter in the range of 10-40 nm havinga weight of 5% on weight of the fabric is also added to the solution.The dyeing capsule temperature is increased gradually up to 80° C. witha rate of 2° C./minute. The temperature is maintained at 80° C. for 45minutes and upon completion, slowly cooled down to the room temperature(25° C.). The fabric sample is taken out of the container, washed withwater and dried (under 105° C. for 10 min). The AATCC Test Method201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics: Heated Plate Method is used to analyzethe drying rate performance. Untreated fabric shows an average dryingrate of 1.62 ml/h. Average drying rate of the treated fabric is 2.70ml/h. The treated fabric sample thus shows a drying rate improvement of67±8% compared to the untreated fabric.

Example 2

The same procedure as given in Example 1 is repeated with a change intextile substrate. The textile substrate or fabric used in example 2 is1×1 rib fabric of cotton having a weight of 162 gram per square meter.The treatment of the fabric is similar to Example 1. The treated fabricis analyzed for the drying rate performance by AATCC Test Method201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics: Heated Plate Method. Untreated fabricshows an average drying rate of 0.99 ml/h. Average drying rate of thetreated fabric is 1.57 ml/h. The treated fabric sample thus shows adrying rate improvement of 58±4% compared to the untreated fabric.

Example 3

The same procedure as given in Example 2 is repeated with a change inNIR energy absorbing agent. In this example, a weight of 5.0% on weightof the fabric, of 70:30 mixture of Aluminum doped zinc oxide and Indiumtin oxide is used. The treatment of the fabric is similar to Example 1.The treated fabric is analyzed for the drying rate performance by AATCCTest Method 201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics: Heated Plate Method.Untreated fabric shows an average drying rate of 1.62 ml/h. Averagedrying rate of the treated fabric is 2.36 ml/h. The treated fabricsample thus shows a drying rate improvement of 46±8% compared to theuntreated fabric.

Example 4

The same procedure as given in Example 3 is repeated with a change inNIR energy absorbing agent. In this example, a weight of 5.0% on weightof the fabric of aluminum doped zinc oxide is used. The treatment of thefabric is similar to Example 1. The treated fabric is analyzed for thedrying rate performance by AATCC Test Method 201-2013, Drying Rate ofFabrics: Heated Plate Method. Untreated fabric shows an average dryingrate of 1.62 ml/h. Average drying rate of the treated fabric is 2.15ml/h. The treated fabric sample thus shows a drying rate improvement of33±6% compared to the untreated fabric.

Example 5

The same procedure as given in Example 4 is repeated, with replacingaluminum doped zinc oxide. Instead, a weight of 2.0% on weight of thefabric of Polyaniline nanoparticles having an average diameter of 20-50nm is used to treat the fabric. The treatment of the fabric is similarto Example 1. The treated fabric is analyzed for the drying rateperformance by AATCC Test Method 201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics:Heated Plate Method. Untreated fabric shows an average drying rate of1.62 ml/h. Average drying rate of the treated fabric is 2.16 ml/h. Thetreated fabric sample thus shows a drying rate improvement of 34±5%compared to the untreated fabric.

Example 6

The same procedure as given in Example 5 is repeated with replacingPolyaniline. Instead, 4.0% on weight of the fabric of cyanine dye(CAS#:134127-48-3) is used to treat the fabric. The treatment of thefabric is similar to Example 1. The treated fabric is analyzed for thedrying rate performance by AATCC Test Method 201-2013, Drying Rate ofFabrics: Heated Plate Method. Untreated fabric shows an average dryingrate of 1.62 ml/h. Average drying rate of the treated fabric is 2.09ml/h. The treated fabric sample thus shows a drying rate improvement of29±7% compared to the untreated fabric.

Example 7

The same procedure as given in Example 6 is repeated with replacingPolyaniline. Instead, 5.0% of carbon black (based on initial weight offabric) is used to treat the fabric. The treatment of the fabric issimilar to Example 1. The treated fabric is analyzed for the drying rateperformance by AATCC Test Method 201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics:Heated Plate Method. Untreated fabric shows an average drying rate of1.62 ml/h. Average drying rate of the treated fabric is 2.33 ml/h. Thetreated fabric sample thus shows a drying rate improvement of 44±4%compared to the untreated fabric.

Example 8

The same procedure as given in Example 7 is repeated with replacingcarbon black. Instead, 2.0% of carbon nanotubes (based on initial weightof fabric) is used to treat the fabric. The treatment of the fabric issimilar to Example 1. The treated fabric is analyzed for the drying rateperformance by AATCC Test Method 201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics:Heated Plate Method. Untreated fabric shows an average drying rate of1.62 ml/h. Average drying rate of the treated fabric is 2.28 ml/h. Thetreated fabric sample thus shows a drying rate improvement of 41±4%compared to the untreated fabric.

Example 9

The same procedure as given in Example 8 is repeated with replacingcarbon nanotubes. Instead, 2.0% of reduced graphene oxide (based oninitial weight of fabric) is used to treat the fabric. The treatment ofthe fabric is similar to Example 1. The treated fabric is analyzed forthe drying rate performance by AATCC Test Method 201-2013, Drying Rateof Fabrics: Heated Plate Method. Untreated fabric shows an averagedrying rate of 1.62 ml/h. Average drying rate of the treated fabric is2.38 ml/h. The treated fabric sample showed a drying rate improvement of47±6% compared to the untreated fabric.

Example 10

A solution that is appropriate to be added directly to the compositionis prepared by mixing, in the order given.

-   -   Anti-coagulant agent (Propylene glycol): 240 g    -   Aluminum doped zinc oxide: 120 g    -   Indium doped tin oxide: 60 g

Then the solution is milled to form a thin liquid solution. Thus formedliquid solution is used in the following formulation added in the listedorder.

-   -   HeiQ Maintain RPS: 1100 g (HeiQ Maintain RPS serves the function        of a chemical binder in the given formulation).    -   HeiQ Soft SHF: 200 g (HeiQ Soft SHF serves the function of a        chemical wicking enhancer and a hand feel improving agent).    -   Anti-coagulant (Propylene glycol): 6 g    -   Ruco Dry DHY: 6 g (Ruco dry DHY is the hydrophobicity modifying        agent which is used to regulate the moisture affinity of the        print)    -   Milled solution: 420 g (Milled solution contains the NIR        absorbing agent or agents)    -   Colour pigment: 1 g (Colour pigment is used to impart a desired        colour to the coating solution)    -   Fixer 104 W: 70 g (Fixer 104W is used to accelerate/increase the        crosslinking of the binder, thus increasing the durability of        the binder.

The above-mentioned solution is used to screen print 100×100 cm panelsof polyester fabrics having area density of 130 g/m2. In fabric screenprinting process, a desired pattern of a coating solution is transferredon to the surface of a fabric using a mesh that is open for liquidtransfer at certain positions. If the whole mesh is kept open for theliquid transfer, a full area print is applied.

The wet pickup is kept at a percentage of 10%. Once the printing ismade, the samples are first dried at 100° C. followed by 150° C. Thetreated fabric is analyzed for the drying rate performance by AATCC TestMethod 201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics: Heated Plate Method. Untreatedfabric shows an average drying rate of 1.62 ml/h. Average drying rate ofthe treated fabric is 2.52 ml/h. The treated fabric sample thus shows adrying rate improvement of 56±4% compared to the untreated fabric.

Example 11

The same process described in Example 10 is carried out except thefeatures of the polyester fabric. Instead, a polyester fabric having 95%polyester and 5% elastomer with 130 g/m2 area density is used. Thetreated fabric is analysed for the drying rate performance by AATCC TestMethod 201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics: Heated Plate Method. Untreatedfabric shows an average drying rate of 1.67 ml/h. Average drying rate ofthe treated fabric is 2.53 ml/h. The treated fabric sample thus shows adrying rate improvement of 52±6% compared to the untreated fabric.

Example 12

The same process described in Example 11 is carried out except thefeatures of the polyester fabric. Instead, a fabric having 100%polyester with 225 g/m2 area density is used. The treated fabric isanalyzed for the drying rate performance by AATCC Test Method 201-2013,Drying Rate of Fabrics: Heated Plate Method. Untreated fabric shows anaverage drying rate of 1.20 ml/h. Average drying rate of the treatedfabric is 1.94 ml/h. The treated fabric sample thus shows a drying rateimprovement of 62±3% compared to the untreated fabric.

Example 13

The same process described in Example 10 is carried out except thescreen printing process. Instead of printing of the fabric, wet paddingprocess is carried out set to 60% wet pickup rate. In the wet paddingprocess, the fabric is submerged in the coating solution, then theexcess solution is squeezed out using multiple number of rollers, whichdictates the wet pick-up percentage. Once the printing is made, thesamples are first dried at 100° C. followed by 150° C.

The treated fabric is analyzed for the drying rate performance by AATCCTest Method 201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics: Heated Plate Method.Untreated fabric shows an average drying rate of 1.62 ml/h. Averagedrying rate of the treated fabric is 2.30 ml/h. The treated fabricsample shows a drying rate improvement of 42±6% compared to theuntreated fabric.

Example 14

The same process as described in example 10 is carried out except thescreen printing process. Instead, the coating solution comprising theformulation prepared in example 10 is charged in to the hand held paintsprayer and applied on to a fabric to have 20% wet pickup. The finishingprocess is followed as per Example 10.

The treated fabric is analyzed for the drying rate performance by AATCCTest Method 201-2013, Drying Rate of Fabrics: Heated Plate Method.Untreated fabric showed an average drying rate of 1.62 ml/h. Averagedrying rate of the treated fabric was 2.49 ml/h. The treated fabricsample shows a drying rate improvement of 54±4% compared to theuntreated fabric.

Example 15

The surface morphology of the fibers of the treated fabric samplesaccording to example 10 is characterized using field emission ScanningElectron Microscope (SEM) Hitachi SU6600 Analytical Variable PressureFE-SEM. The samples are sputter-coated with gold for 30 seconds at 15 mAprior to the observation. The results are shown in the FIG. 1 of thepresent invention.

FIG. 1 depicts Scanning Electron Microscope image of the fibers in thefabric treated according to the method disclosed in example 10. FIG. 1a) depicts fibers at 1000× magnification and FIG. 1b ) depicts individualfiber surface shown at 7000× magnification. It is derived from FIGS. 1a) and 1 b) that thin coating of the NIR absorbing agent has beenestablished on the surface of the fabric.

All the examples of the present invention are carried out using thestandard protocols as set out by AATCC standards.

Therefore it is evident that the present invention is able tosuccessfully overcome the various deficiencies of prior art and providefor modified textile material which due to presence of NIR energyabsorbing agent provides quick evaporation of moisture content. Further,the NIR energy absorbing agent used for treating the textile materialdoes not cause any discomfort to the wearer, if a garment is fashionedout of the textile material.

Additional embodiments and features of the present invention will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in art based on the descriptionprovided herein. The embodiments herein provide various features andadvantageous details thereof in the description. Descriptions ofwell-known/conventional methods and techniques are omitted so as to notunnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments fully reveals thegeneral nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applyingcurrent knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applicationsof such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept,and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and areintended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalentsof the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that thephraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose ofdescription and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments inthis invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments,those of skill in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein canbe practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of theembodiments described herein.

Throughout the specification, the word “comprise”, or variations such as“comprises” or “comprising” wherever used, will be understood to implythe inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group ofelements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element,integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singularterms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from theplural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as isappropriate to the context and/or application. The varioussingular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sakeof clarity.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles and thelike that has been included in this specification is solely for thepurpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be takenas an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of theprior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant tothe disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of thisapplication.

While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the particularfeatures of this disclosure, it will be appreciated that variousmodifications can be made, and that many changes can be made in thepreferred embodiments without departing from the principles of theinvention. These and other modifications in the nature of the inventionor the preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in theart from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctlyunderstood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpretedmerely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation. It isfurther understood that the scope of the present invention fullyencompasses other embodiments that may become obvious to those skilledin the art and that the scope of the present invention is accordinglylimited by nothing other than the appended claims.

1. A quick dry textile material comprising: a) textile substrate; and b)composition comprising near infrared (NIR) energy absorbing agent. 2.The textile material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the composition ispresent on at least one surface of the textile material.
 3. The textilematerial as claimed in claim 1, wherein the composition furthercomprises component selected from the group comprising binder, pigmentand finishing agent or any combinations thereof.
 4. The textile materialas claimed in claim 3, wherein the binder is selected from the groupcomprising acrylic binder, polyurethane binder, vinyl polymer binder,vinyl copolymer binder, natural rubber binder, neoprene rubber binder,epoxy binder, amino resin binder, silicone binder and biopolymer binder,or any combinations thereof.
 5. The textile material as claimed in claim1, wherein the near infrared (NIR) energy absorbing agent is selectedfrom the group comprising metal, oxide, doped oxide, carbon compound,organic compound and polymer or any combinations thereof.
 6. The textilematerial as claimed in claim 1, wherein the NIR energy absorbing agentis present in amount ranging from about 0.1% to 10.0% by weight of thetextile substrate; and wherein the NIR energy absorbing agent absorbselectromagnetic radiation ranging from about 700 nm to 1500 nm.
 7. Thetextile material as claimed in claim 1, wherein particle size of the NIRenergy absorbing agent ranges from about 1 μm to 500 nm in diameter,preferably from about 10 nm to 100 nm in diameter, and more preferablyfrom about 20 nm to 70 nm in diameter.
 8. The textile material asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the textile substrate is selected from thegroup comprising Cotton, Polyester, Nylon, Polyester-elastomer blend,Nylon elastomer blend, Polyester cotton blend, Aramid Linen,Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Jute, Hemp, Wool, Rayon, Lyocell andAcetate fiber textile, or any combinations thereof.
 9. The textilematerial as claimed in claim 1, wherein weight of the textile materialranges from about 100 to 250 gram per square meter, preferably about 130gram per square meter.
 10. The textile material as claimed in claim 1,wherein the textile substrate is pre-treated by process selected fromthe group comprising scouring treatment, bleaching treatment, enzymatictreatment, softening treatment, treatment for improved wicking,anti-pilling treatment, anti-static treatment, anti-curling treatment,anti-bacterial treatment, treatment for improvement of wash fastness,treatment for improved draping, raising, burning, quenching, curing,heat setting, polishing, embossing, pressing and creasing or anycombinations thereof.
 11. A method for obtaining quick dry textilematerial comprising textile substrate and composition comprising nearinfrared (NIR) energy absorbing agent, said method comprising acts of:a) treating the textile substrate with the composition; and b)processing the treated textile substrate to obtain the quick dry textilematerial.
 12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the treating ofthe textile substrate is by process selected from the group comprisingcoating, finishing, depositing, spraying, foam application, dyeing, wetpadding, screen printing, screen transfer, sublimation, film transfer,roll transfer, electrodeposition, wet exhaustion, chemical vapordeposition and physical vapor deposition, or any combinations thereof.13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the processing comprisesact selected from the group comprising heating, washing and drying orany combinations thereof.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 11, whereinthe near infrared (NIR) absorbing agent is selected from the groupcomprising metal, oxide, doped oxide, carbon compound, organic compoundand polymer or any combinations thereof.
 15. The method as claimed inclaim 11, wherein the NIR energy absorbing agent is present in an amountof about 0.1% to 10.0% by weight of the textile substrate; wherein theNIR energy absorbing agent absorbs electromagnetic radiation rangingfrom about 700 nm to 1500 nm; and wherein particle size of the NIRenergy absorbing agent ranges from about 1 μm to 500 nm in diameter. 16.The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the textile substrate isselected from the group comprising Cotton, Polyester, Nylon,Polyester-elastomer blend, Nylon elastomer blend, Polyester cottonblend, Aramid Linen, Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Jute, Hemp, Wool,Rayon, Lyocell and Acetate fiber textile, or any combinations thereof.17. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the composition furthercomprises component selected from the group comprising binder, pigmentand finishing agent or any combinations thereof.
 18. The method asclaimed in claim 11, wherein weight of the textile material ranges fromabout 100 to 250 gram per square meter.
 19. Use of a compositioncomprising near infrared absorbing agent for obtaining a quick drytextile material.